Active liquid-crystal deflector and lens with Fresnel structure

SPIE OPTO, 2017, San Francisco, California, United StatesGiichi Shibuya, Shohei Yamano, Hiroyuki Yoshida, and Masanori Ozaki "Active liquid-crystal deflector and lens with Fresnel structure", Proc. SPIE 10125, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies XII, 101250V (15 February 2017). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1117/12.226111

Long-term survival of the mouse ES cell-derived mast cell, MEDMC-BRC6, in mast cell-deficient Kit W-sh/W-sh mice

Mast cells (MCs) play pivotal roles in allergic reactions and the host defense against microbial infection through the IgE-dependent and IgE-independent signaling pathways. MC lines that can be analyzed both in vitro and in vivo would be useful for the study of MC-dependent immune responses. Here, we investigated the functional characteristics of a mouse embryonic stem cell-derived MC-like cell line, MEDMC-BRC6. The cell line expressed FcεRI and c-Kit and showed degranulation and production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1, upon cross-linking FcεRI with IgE. These cytokines and chemokines were also produced by the cell line by stimulation of TLR2 and TLR4. MEDMC-BRC6 survived in the peritoneal cavity and the ear skin for at least 6 months after the transfer into genetically compatible MC-deficient KitW-sh/W-sh mice, in which systemic anaphylaxis was successfully induced. Thus, MEDMC-BRC6 cells represent a potent tool for investigating the functions of MCs in vitro and in vivo

Allergin-1 inhibits TLR2-mediated mast cell activation and suppresses dermatitis

TLR2 recognizes cell wall components of Staphylococcus aureus, which colonizes >90% of atopic eczematous skin lesions. The regulatory mechanisms of TLR2 signaling in the skin remain unclear. Allergin-1, an inhibitory immunoglobulin-like receptor containing an ITIM, is expressed on mast cells (MCs) and inhibits IgE-mediated anaphylaxis in mice. Here, we show that Allergin-1 inhibits TLR2-mediated activation of, and inflammatory cytokine production by, MCs in vitro. Compared with wild-type mice, Allergin-1-deficient mice showed enhanced ear swelling with enhanced collagen deposition and greater Ly6G+ neutrophil recruitment after intra-dermal injection of Pam2CSK4 into pinnae. Using Mas–TRECK mice, which is an MC deletion system based on il4 enhancer elements, we also demonstrated that Allergin-1 on MCs is responsible for the Pam2CSK4-induced ear swelling. These results suggest that Allergin-1 on skin MCs suppresses TLR2-induced dermatitis

Pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma in stage I: risk factor analysis for disease free survival

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To examine the outcomes and risk factors in pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients who were defined as TNM stage I because some patients develop disease recurrence but treatment strategy for such stage I pediatric patients is still controversial.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We reviewed 57 consecutive TNM stage I patients (15 years or less) with DTC (46 papillary and 11 follicular) who underwent initial treatment at Ito Hospital between 1962 and 2004 (7 males and 50 females; mean age: 13.1 years; mean follow-up: 17.4 years). Clinicopathological results were evaluated in all patients. Multivariate analysis was performed to reveal the risk factors for disease-free survival (DFS) in these 57 patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Extrathyroid extension and clinical lymphadenopathy at diagnosis were found in 7 and 12 patients, respectively. Subtotal/total thyroidectomy was performed in 23 patients, modified neck dissection in 38, and radioactive iodine therapy in 10. Pathological node metastasis was confirmed in 37 patients (64.9%). Fifteen patients (26.3%) exhibited local recurrence and 3 of them also developed metachronous lung metastasis. Ten of these 15 achieved disease-free after further treatments and no patients died of disease. In multivariate analysis, male gender (p = 0.017), advanced tumor (T3, 4a) stage (p = 0.029), and clinical lymphadenopathy (p = 0.006) were risk factors for DFS in stage I pediatric patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Male gender, tumor stage, and lymphadenopathy are risk factors for DFS in stage I pediatric DTC patients. Aggressive treatment (total thyroidectomy, node dissection, and RI therapy) is considered appropriate for patients with risk factors, whereas conservative or stepwise approach may be acceptable for other patients.</p

EMPRESS. IX. Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxies are Very Gas-Rich Dispersion-Dominated Systems: Will JWST Witness Gaseous Turbulent High-z Primordial Galaxies?

We present kinematics of 6 local extremely metal-poor galaxies (EMPGs) with low metallicities ($0.016-0.098\ Z_{\odot}$) and low stellar masses ($10^{4.7}-10^{7.6} M_{\odot}$). Taking deep medium-high resolution ($R\sim7500$) integral-field spectra with 8.2-m Subaru, we resolve the small inner velocity gradients and dispersions of the EMPGs with H$\alpha$ emission. Carefully masking out sub-structures originated by inflow and/or outflow, we fit 3-dimensional disk models to the observed H$\alpha$ flux, velocity, and velocity-dispersion maps. All the EMPGs show rotational velocities ($v_{\rm rot}$) of 5--23 km s$^{-1}$ smaller than the velocity dispersions ($\sigma_{0}$) of 17--31 km s$^{-1}$, indicating dispersion-dominated ($v_{\rm rot}/\sigma_{0}=0.29-0.80<1$) systems affected by inflow and/or outflow. Except for two EMPGs with large uncertainties, we find that the EMPGs have very large gas-mass fractions of $f_{\rm gas}\simeq 0.9-1.0$. Comparing our results with other H$\alpha$ kinematics studies, we find that $v_{\rm rot}/\sigma_{0}$ decreases and $f_{\rm gas}$ increases with decreasing metallicity, decreasing stellar mass, and increasing specific star-formation rate. We also find that simulated high-$z$ ($z\sim 7$) forming galaxies have gas fractions and dynamics similar to the observed EMPGs. Our EMPG observations and the simulations suggest that primordial galaxies are gas-rich dispersion-dominated systems, which would be identified by the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations at $z\sim 7$.Comment: Submitted to ApJ; After revisio